Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis
ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS AND PLAN
OF OPERATION
The following discussion of our financial condition
and results of operations should be read in conjunction with, and is qualified in its entirety by, the consolidated financial statements
and notes thereto included in, Item 1 in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. This item contains forward-looking statements that involve
risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking statements.
Forward-Looking Statements
This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and the documents
incorporated herein by reference contain forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations,
estimates, and projections about our industry, management beliefs, and certain assumptions made by our management. Words such as “anticipates,”
“expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,”
variations of such words, and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees
of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict; therefore, actual
results may differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in any such forward-looking statements. Unless required by law, we undertake
no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
However, readers should carefully review the risk factors set forth herein and in other reports and documents that we file from time to
time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly the Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and any
Current Reports on Form 8-K.
Narrative Description of the Business
Focus Universal Inc. (the “Company,”
“we,” “us,” or “our”) is a Nevada corporation. We believe we have developed five proprietary technologies
utilizing our patent portfolio which we believe solve the most fundamental problems plaguing the internet of things (“IoT”)
industry through: (1) increasing overall chip integration by shifting integration from the component level to the device level; (2) creating
a faster 5G cellular technology by using ultra-narrowband technology; (3) leveraging ultra-narrowband power line communication (“PLC”)
technology; (4) proprietary User Interface Machine auto generation technology; and (5) incorporating all our core technologies into a
single chip. Our Universal Smart Technology is designed to overcome instrumentation interoperability and interchangeability. The electronic
design starts from a 90% completed common foundation we call our universal smart instrumentation platform (“USIP”), instead
of the current method of building each stand-alone instrument from scratch. Our method eliminates redundant hardware and software and
results in significant cost savings and production efficiency. We also provide sensor devices and are a wholesaler of various air filters
and digital, analog, and quantum light meter systems. The Company holds 28 patents and patents pending in various phases of the patent
process.
Our securities are currently traded on Nasdaq
Capital Market effective as of September 23, 2024.
Our Current Products Include:
We are a wholesaler of various digital, analog,
and quantum light meters and filtration products, including fan speed adjusters, carbon filters and HEPA filtration systems.
In an effort to continually develop our product
lines, we plan to phase out the traditional, lower-margin products, such as the first-generation digital light meter, and are preparing
to launch a new line of products that have been in development for several years. These newer technology products will be released in
phases, and we intend that increasing amounts of technology will be layered upon these products. Additionally, we plan to continue to
increase our efforts in protecting more intellectual property and have continued to develop technologies for long-term growth. We have
developed products in both the controlled agriculture industry and home automation industries, taking advantage of our existing relationships
in both sectors.
23
We are building a U.S.-based sales team to market
our Smart AVX-branded product lines. The team has already begun marketing our current large format multimedia touch screens, surveillance
camera system (cameras and network video recorders (NVRs)), indoor and outdoor LED screens, and Focus Universal-branded voice over internet
protocol (VOIP) phone service systems for use in commercial and corporate settings.
Our products on the home automation front are
beginning the production cycle. Of note, smart wall touch light switches, digital control smart wall touch light switches, smart timers,
and smart controllers are ready for production. Sourcing of electronic parts for these products is completed, the cost analysis of
these products is completed, and most of the tooling for production has been completed.
Currently, our Shenzhen subsidiary mainly focuses
on product development and commercialization. An important electrode with a “Total Dissolved Solids” (“TDS”) meter
design, with applications in all solubility measurements, was completed and approved by our U.S. management team. The designs of
our TDS sensor, carbon dioxide sensor, new quantum PAR sensor and total dissolved oxygen sensors are also completed. Our testing against
the state-of-the-art sensors on the market suggests to us that the new sensors are at least as good as the best quality sensors on the
market. However, we believe that our sensors are much more cost effective.
Our software machine auto design team has also
made significant progress during the nine months ending September 30, 2024. Having the mathematical and graphical environments created,
our team is focused on developing the 3D-user interface machine auto design. Our public reporting automation software is completed and
currently undergoing extensive testing. As reports on Forms 10-Q and 10-K are time-consuming, complex processes that require each company’s
financial team to gather and translate large amounts of data from multiple sources, the time and expertise required to complete the process
is a substantial burden for any company, large or small. Meanwhile, SEC reporting deadlines are firm and inflexible. This conflict can
interfere with other reporting and internal timelines and leave teams time-strapped and scrambling for the resources needed to meet any
reporting requirements. We have developed a Microsoft®-based add-on software that aims to streamline and automate the SEC reporting
preparation process. We believe the software will significantly simplify the Form 10-Q and Form 10-K preparation processes and make creating,
editing and managing documents both simple and accurate. We are planning to commercialize this software in the fourth quarter of 2024
or the first quarter of 2025. A cloud-based version of this software is also under the development.
Beyond IoT products, our R&D software team
has developed a derivative product (i.e., our software platform for interoperability within the IoT), we have developed a complementary
office automation software product. This specific software was designed to assist in completing financial reports faster, more accurately,
and with greater ease of update, thereby eliminating the need for increased staffing especially in time sensitive projects. It is designed
to save CPAs, auditors, accounting, and/or legal a significant amount of time in the preparation of SEC financial reports and other internal
financial reporting. Eighty percent of this software development has been completed and we hope to launch a beta version of this product.
Fan speed adjuster device . Designed specifically
for centrifugal fans with brushless motors, our adjuster device helps ensure longer life by preventing damage to fan motors by adjusting
the speed of centrifugal fans without causing the motor to hum. These devices are rated for 350 watts max, have 120VAC voltage capacity
and feature an internal electronic auto-resetting circuit breaker.
Carbon filter devices. We sell two types
of carbon filter devices. These carbon filter devices are professional grade filters specifically designed and used to filter the air
in greenhouses that might be polluted by fermenting organics. One of these filters can be attached to a centrifugal fan to scrub the air
in a constant circle or can be attached to an exhaust line as a single-pass filter, which moves air out of the growing area, filters unwanted
odors and removes pollens, dust, and other debris in the air. The other filter is designed to be used with fans from 0-6000 C.F.M.
HEPA filtration device. We provide a high-efficiency
particulate arrestance (“HEPA”) filtration device at wholesale prices to our client Hydrofarm. Manufactured, tested, certified,
and labeled in accordance with current HEPA filter standards, this device is targeted towards greenhouses and grow rooms and designed
to keep insects, bacteria, and mold out of grow rooms. We sell these devices in various sizes.
24
Quantum par meter . We provide a handheld
quantum par meter used to measure photosynthetically active radiation (“PAR”). This fully portable handheld PAR meter is designed
to measure PAR flux in wavelengths ranging from 400 to 700 nm. It is designed to measure up to 10,000 µmol.
For a description of our products and services
offering, please refer to Item 1. “Business” beginning on page 1 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending
December 31, 2023, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 1, 2024.
Ubiquitor Wireless Universal Sensor Device
We have developed a device we call the Ubiquitor,
which replaces the functions of traditional digital measurement and sensing products by integrating many digital sensors and measurement
tools into one single digital device. We believe the platform represents a technological advancement in the IoT marketplace by integrating
large numbers of technologies, including cloud technology, wired and wireless communication technology, software programming, instrumentation
technology, artificial intelligence, PLC technology, and sensor networking into a single platform. We believe the result of such integration
is a smaller, cheaper, and faster circuit system design than those currently offered in the instrumentation market.
Our USIP technology that will make the Ubiquitor
possible is an advanced software and hardware integrated instrumentation platform that uses a large-scale modular design approach. The
large-scale modular design approach subdivides instruments into a foundation component (a USIP) and architecture-specific components (sensor
nodes), which together replaces the functions of traditional instruments at a fraction of their cost. The USIP has an open architecture,
incorporating a variety of individual instrument functions, sensors, and probes from different industries and vendors. The platform features
the ability to connect potentially thousands of different sensors or probes, addressing major limitations present in traditional instrumentation
systems.
The Ubiquitor will be a general platform that
collects data in real time, up to 100 Hz per second, and, thus, is intended to be adapted to many industrial uses.
By using the universal hardware or USIP, we believe
we could achieve the following efficiencies in instrumentation systems:
1.
Cut production costs. Smartphone technology is widely used on the small sensor device market. By utilizing smartphone technology, the Ubiquitor will add superior functionality and performance, improve the product’s quality, and cut production costs.
2.
Reduce the effort required to develop a new sensor product. With the Ubiquitor, we believe that there will be no need for device manufacturers to research and develop new monitoring and operating components because they will just need to develop new sensor nodes or probes that may be integrated into our software technology.
3.
Reduce clutter. It is anticipated that the Ubiquitor could dispense with some of the hassle of connecting cables, since the Ubiquitor allows wireless transmission of sensor data and may allow wireless access to networks, such as a PLC network.
Additional Focus Universal Inc. IoT Products
under Smart AVX. Focus Universal Inc. is integrating its own Smart AVX- branded IoT equipment to connect devices across platform systems
and to facilitate unified collaboration across audio-visual technologies, digital media technologies, security and surveillance technologies
and communication technologies. This approach allows the Company to service its customers for ease of use, design and integration, and
installation and maintenance by utilizing technology that integrates our five core technologies.
25
We have integrated our Smart AVX-branded products
across the following strategic sub-sectors: LED Audio-visual Panel Products, large format Smart Multimedia Touch Screens, Pan Tilt Zoom
(“PTZ”) Dome Cameras and Network Video Recorders (“NVRs”), and VOIP Phone Services.
1.
LED Audio-visual Panel Products. LED panel digital displays have become an integral and modern-day solution that address the communication and display demands of the residential and commercial customer base. Due to the flexible configuration of the LED panels, the modular design that enables the ability to incorporate a design into any size space, the flexibility of the standard size panels to accommodate curvature in the design space, the ability to address transparency in the panel displays and create new areas for delivering media to the public, our LED panel digital displays allow us to easily adapt our display design to spaces of any size and shape, making any customer space a customizable output and connected piece within a system. The option to create full size screens in any space, while addressing any environmental demands, allows us to use state-of-the-art media resulting in immersive, three-dimensional, captivating content delivery within any system.
2.
Large Format Smart Multimedia Touch Screens. Smart AVX-branded large format touch screens deliver interactive solutions for a wide variety of industries and applications, including education, healthcare, commercial, residential and government applications. While interacting with a touch display is commonplace in public-consumer spaces, we integrate large format Smart touch screens in small business, commercial applications such as dental offices and other business scenarios. These market applications continue to be underserved with touch-enabled devices, and our installation engineers and design staff can customize solutions for unique business and commercial application projects. The Company, through the Smart AVX brand, offers a myriad of customized choices and a long list of options within the current touch screen technology in a refined product. Our products allow future integration of our core platform technologies, such as the LED digital displays, the Ubiquitor, PTZ Dome Cameras and VOIP Phone Systems, allowing for pinch, zoom, scrolling, and videoconferencing within the touch screen format.
Lusher Corporate Services, One Touch Financial
Software
Financial reporting is the process by
which a company keeps investors aware of a company’s financial condition, allowing them to have the information they need before
making an investment decision.
An annual report on Form 10-K is a comprehensive
report filed annually by a publicly traded containing company information such as its history, organizational structure, financial statements,
earnings per share, subsidiaries, executive compensation, and other relevant data.
The quarterly report on Form 10-Q is
a comprehensive report of a company’s quarterly performance that must be submitted by public companies to the SEC on a quarterly
basis. The quarterly report on Form 10-Q is generally submitted with unaudited financial statements including condensed financial statements,
a management discussion and analysis on the financial condition of the company, and disclosures regarding market risk and internal controls.
In the quarterly reports, companies are required to disclose additional relevant quarterly financial information regarding their financial
position.
Because of the depth and nature of the
information they contain, reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q can become time-consuming, especially given the complex processes that require
a company’s internal teams to gather large amounts of data across multiple sources. The time and expertise required to complete
the process is a substantial burden. SEC reporting deadlines are firm and inflexible. These reporting requirements can interfere with
other reporting timelines and leave a time-strapped team scrambling for the resources needed to meet mandated reporting requirements.
Delays and mistakes in SEC financial
reporting can have far-reaching consequences for companies and their shareholders including. SEC review, enforcement actions, and penalties.
Late, inaccurate, or incomplete filings can often lead to a drop in the company’s stock price and a decrease in investor confidence.
26
However, it is critically important
that the company’s financial reporting is accurate, thorough, and up to date. Office software packages are widely used in all report
preparation. While current software can do an excellent job on word processing, it often fails in the creation of the rigorously formatted
tables and spreadsheets needed to populate requisite financial information in report. Furthermore, because of the frequent incompatibility
between programs from software packages, the formatted tables required by financial reporting standards that are created by spreadsheets
programs are mismatched, incomplete, or even destroyed when they are transferred via word processing files.
Human data entry of hundreds or thousands
of financial numbers in the financial report imposes another challenge and presented by regularly occurring human error. This risk is
compounded by a frequent requirement to update or revise these hundreds or thousands of numbers during the time-constrained review processes
and auditing processes prior to submission.
Given the complexity and volume of data
involved, companies are looking for solutions that not only save cost, and reduce the time and effort required to report in a timely manner
but also improve accuracy and compliance. We have developed an automated software solution to address these challenges effectively and
efficiently in the following ways:
Data Entry Automation: Our software’s
automated data entry function reduces the risk of human errors and saves time. It can extract data from various sources and populate financial
reports accurately.
Validation Checks: Our One Touch Financial
Software includes built-in validation checks to ensure that the data is accurate and compliant with regulatory requirements. It also helps
in identifying potential errors early in the reporting process.
Formatted Table Creation: Creating formatted
tables which are often required in SEC financial reports, is a time-consuming task. Our software generates these tables accurately and
efficiently.
Integration: Integration with existing
financial systems and software is essential for a seamless reporting process. Our software connects with multiple data sources and financial
software frequently used by reporting companies.
Security and Compliance: Security of data
is critical, especially when dealing with sensitive financial data. Our software adheres to industry standards and regulations to ensure
data security and compliance with reporting requirements.
The Company plans to demo the software
this month as the development for the software has progressed. The company plans for a company roadshow in 3Q of 2024 to update the community
regarding these new developments.
Research and Development Efforts of Power Line
Communication
Power Line Communication (“PLC”) technology
is a communication technology that enables sending data over existing power cables. One advantage of this technology is that PLC does
not require substantial new investment for its communications infrastructure. Rather, PLC utilizes existing power lines, thereby forming
a distribution network that already penetrates all residential, commercial and industrial premises. Accordingly, connectivity via PLC
technology is potentially the most cost-effective, scalable interconnectivity approach for the IoT. We believe PLC technology can be an
integral part of our communication infrastructure for the IoT, which enables reliable, real-time measurements, monitoring, and control.
A large variety of appliances may be interconnected by transmitting data through the same wires that provide electrical energy.
Our patented PLC technology uses an ultra-narrowband
spectrum channel of less than 1 KHz to establish a long-distance link between transmitter and receiver. Thus, we believe that our proprietary
ultra-narrowband PLC technology will offer a promising alternative to wireless networks and provide the backbone communication infrastructure
for IoT devices.
27
The primary design goal of the power line network
is electric power distribution, not data transmission. The harsh electrical noise present on power lines and variations in equipment and
standards make data transmission over the power grid difficult. These technological challenges have impeded, or even halted, progression
of PLC technology.
Research and Development Efforts of 5G Cellular
Technology
Just like our ultra-narrowband technology can
be used to effectively reduce noise in powerline communication technology, our internal research suggests that our ultra-narrowband technology
can be leveraged to create a type of 5G wireless communication technology that can achieve both low band 5G coverage and an estimated
1 Gbps high band speed. We employ an ultra-narrow spectrum channel (<1KHz) to establish an ultra-long-distance link between the 5G
base station and the receiver which reduces noise and interference entering the bandwidth.
For a description of the ultra-narrowband technology
and the 5G applications, see “Part I - Item 1. Business, Section 2. “Creating a faster 5G cellular technology by using ultra-narrowband
technology” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 1, 2024.
Intellectual Property Protection
On November 4, 2016, we filed U.S. patent application
number 15/344,041 with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The patent was issued on March 20, 2018.
We filed with the USPTO on June 2, 2017 a patent
application regarding a process for improving a spectral response curve of a photo sensor. The resulting U.S. Patent No. 10,251,037 was
issued on February 26, 2019.
On March 19, 2018, we filed U.S. Patent Application
No. 15/925,400. The patent title is a “Universal Smart Device,” which is a universal smart instrument that unifies heterogeneous
measurement probes into a single device that can analyze, publish, and share the data analyzed. The resulting U.S. Patent No. 10,251,037
was issued on April 2, 2019.
On November 29, 2019, the Company filed an international
utility patent application through the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) as International Patent Application No. PCT/US2019/63880. On September
6, 2022, the International Searching Authority (ISA) issued a favorable International Preliminary Report of Patentability (IPRP) regarding
this patent application, which describes the Company’s PLC technology. The IPRP cited only three category “A” documents,
indicating that the Company’s application met both the novelty and non-obviousness patentability requirements. Consequently, the
Company is optimistic that a patent including claims directed to its PLC technology will be issued in due course and will allow the Company
to protect its PLC technology.
In 2021, we hired the law firm of Knobbe, Martens,
Olson & Bear, LLP (“Knobbe Martens”) to serve as outside intellectual property counsel for the Company. The firm is working
on converting the Company’s provisional patent applications to formal nonprovisional patent applications and expanding existing
patent portfolios. In addition, Knobbe Martens is working on filing four previously unfiled patents and pursuing patent coverage in Europe
and Australia. In addition, in May 2022, the Company engaged Chang & Hale, LLP as suggested by our counsel at Knobbe Martens to assist
with two new patents, noting that Knobbe Martens still remains our main IP counsel. Currently, the Company has 18 pending U.S. nonprovisional
patent applications and 9 issued U.S. patents. As a result of our primary IP attorney switching firms from Knobbe Martens to Dority Manning,
Focus Universal Inc, hired Dority Manning on July 16, 2024 to serve as outside intellectual property counsel for the Company.
The Company’s patent number 11,488,468 was
allowed and subsequently issued on November 1, 2022. The patent is titled “Sensor for Detecting the Proximity of an IEEE 802.11
Protocol Connectable Device.” On November 7, 2023, our patent application titled “Activated Carbon Air Filter” issued
as U.S. Patent No. 11,806,654. We also just received an issue notification from the USPTO, indicating that our patent application titled
“Electronic Lock and Method of Operation” will issue on November 21, 2023, as U.S. Patent No. 11,823,513. The company has
begun to file omnibus patents to combine certain patents under a unified central patent.
28
Competitors
We have identified several competitors specifically
in the wireless sensor node industry, including traditional instruments or device manufacturers. Hach developed and launched the SC1000
Multi-parameter Universal Controller, a probe module for connecting up to 32 digital sensors or analyzers. However, their products are
not compatible with smart phones yet; and we believe their price point is still prohibitive to consumers. Monnit Corporation offers a
range of wireless and remote sensors. Many of Monnit’s products are web-based wireless sensors that usually are not portable because
of their power consumption. Also, the sensors’ real-time updates are slow; and we believe security of the web-based sensor data
acquisition may also be a concern. In addition to purchasing the device, consumers usually have to pay monthly fees for using web-based
services. We are not trying to compete with traditional instruments or device manufacturers because we utilize our Ubiquitor device in
conjunction with our smartphone application, which we believe will be a completely different product category.
IoT Installation Industry
There are several companies that compete with
AVX in smart home installations, including Vivint Smart Home, Savant, Crestron and Control4. However, we believe we can distinguish ourselves
from our competitors by offering substantially more customization and interoperability with existing platforms. While our service offerings
do not rely on always providing the entire installation for the end client, our Company is able to seamlessly provide accenting, replacement,
or conversion home automation systems which are easier to use and interoperate for the end client, and with limited rewiring. Complete
installation by Crestron ranges between $100,000 and $500,000 and an installation by Control4 ranges between $70,000 and $250,000. The
cheapest competitor we can identify in this sector is Vivint Smart Home, which costs less than $50,000 to install; however, we understand
that the Vivint Smart Home focuses on security systems only and that users have no other smart applications, which our smart home product
line would include. Our sales staff have encountered a growing client base of unhappy customers with the pre-existing and completely siloed
platform systems that reportedly are not easy to use or program, require costly specialty service for simple operations, are subject to
lengthy software and hardware backlogs, and despite being based on the same platform, fail to operate compatibly, possessing frequent
errors and bugs.
Air Filtration Systems and Meter Products
Industry
The air filtration system and meter products industry
is a niche industry. Air purification methods are an effective way to control contaminants and improve indoor air quality; and as a result,
many national and local governments overseeing indoor air quality and other emissions are enacting stricter workforce health and safety
regulations in this area, which drives demand.
Market Potential
We believe universal wireless smart technology
will play a critical role for traditional instrument manufacturers, as currently the undertaking of an IoT project is simply too expensive
and difficult to develop for medium or smaller companies and carries a 75% failure rate according to Cisco Systems. 1 The cost
factor is the first consideration when deciding whether a company wants to develop smart wireless technologies and implement them into
their products or use them in their field testing. We also hope to play a role in academic laboratories, particularly with smaller academic
laboratories that are sensitive to price. Regarding the larger IoT industry statistics, overall enterprise IoT spending increased to $201
billion in 2022, an increase of 21.5%. The outlook for growth in 2023 is 18.5% from this large base of enterprise spending. 2 More
specifically, the IoT sensors market is projected to reach $26 billion by 2026 from $11.1 billion in 2022. 3 The IoT marketplace
size assessments usually include the hardware components and the software components, which often contain a Software as a Service (SaaS)
model. Additionally, the rising need for reliable high bandwidth communication for IoT devices is expected to rise to $664.75 billion
in 2028, spearheaded by the currently predominant services in the 5G category. 4 We would also expect this market to grow with
the addition of new categories of services delivering reliable high bandwidth communication for IoT devices and would cannibalize and
expand the existing services where the new services proved to be more effective and efficient.
________________________
1 Cisco Systems, Connected Futures, Executive Business Insights,
May 2017, The Journey to IoT Value, Challenges, Breakthroughs, and Best Practices, https://newsroom.cisco.com/c/r/newsroom/en/us/a/y2017/m05/cisco-survey-reveals-close-to-three-fourths-of-iot-projects-are-failing.html
2 IoT Analytics, Market Insights for the Internet of Things,
February 7, 2023, Global IoT market size to grow 19% in 2023—IoT shows resilience despite economic downturn, https://iot-analytics.com/iot-market-size/
3 Markets and Markets, IoT Sensors Market by Sensor Type,
Network Technology, Vertical, Application, and Geography – Global Forecast -2026, https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/sensors-iot-market-26520972.html
4 Cision PRNewswire, Research and Markets, Global $664.75
Billion 5G Services Markets to 2028: Rising Need for High Bandwidth to Provide Reliable Communication to IoT Devices is Expected to Boost
Overall Market Growth, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-664-75-billion-5g-services-markets-to-2028-rising-need-for-high-bandwidth-to-provide-
reliable-communication-to-iot-devices-is-expected-to-boost-overall-market-growth-301432173.html
29
Results of Operations
For the three months ended September 30, 2024 compared to the
three months ended September 30, 2023
Revenue, cost of revenue and gross profit
For the three
months ended
September 30,
2024
For the three
months ended
September 30,
2023
Increase
(Decrease)
$
Revenue
$ 74,215
$ 71,854
$ 2,361
Cost of revenue
42,530
44,386
(1,856 )
Gross Profit
$ 31,685
$ 27,468
$ 4,217
Our consolidated gross revenue for the three months
ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 was $74,215 and $71,854, respectively. Cost of revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2024
was $42,530, compared to $44,386 for the three months ended September 30, 2023. In addition to the increase in revenue and decrease cost
of revenue, gross profit increased to $31,685 compared to $27,468 for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
The result is attributed to the Company selling more LED products this year compared to last year, with LED products yielding higher profit
margins than hydroponic products.
The major components of our cost and operating
expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 are outlined in the table below:
For the three
months ended
September 30, 2024
For the three
months ended
September 30, 2023
Increase
(Decrease)
$
Selling expense
$ 30,936
$ 25,193
$ 5,743
Compensation – officers and directors
575,255
267,002
308,253
Research and development
308,516
305,872
2,644
Professional fees
278,336
132,914
145,422
General and administrative
585,491
387,764
197,727
Total operating expenses
$ 1,778,534
$ 1,118,745
$ 659,789
Selling expenses for the three months ended September
30, 2024 were $30,936, compared to $25,193 for the three months ended September 30, 2023. Selling expenses were mainly from third party
advertising fees and marketing related fees. The increase in selling expenses was due to an increase in advertising fees.
Compensation – officers and directors were
$575,255 and $267,002 for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
Research and development costs were $308,516 and
$305,872 for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
Professional fees were $278,336 during the three
months ended September 30, 2024, compared to $132,914 during the three months ended September 30, 2023. The increase in these professional
fees compared to the prior period was due to an increase in legal fees for employment litigation defense and SEC securities attorney legal
fees.
General and administrative expenses for the three
months ended September 30, 2024 was $585,491 compared to $387,764 during the three months ended September 30, 2023. The increase of general
and administrative expenses was primarily due to an increase in the number of office employees in 2024.
30
Other Income (expense)
Other income for the three months ended September
30, 2024 was $3,215,560, compared to $62,050 for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The increase was due to gain on sale of the
property.
Income (loss) from discontinued operations,
net of tax
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net
of tax was $(26,748) during the three months ended September 30,2024, compared to $61,194 during the three months ended September 30,2023.
The decrease was due to the discontinued operations of AT Tech Systems LLC in August 2024.
Net Losses
During the three months ended September 30, 2024
and 2023, we incurred net income (loss) of $1,441,927 and $(968,033) respectively, due to the factors discussed above.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2024 compared to the
nine months ended September 30, 2023
Revenue, cost of revenue and gross profit
For the nine
months ended
September 30, 2024
For the nine
months ended
September 30, 2023
Increase
(Decrease)
$
Revenue
$ 264,954
$ 238,803
$ 26,151
Cost of revenue
127,686
174,090
(46,404 )
Gross Profit
$ 137,268
$ 64,713
$ 72,555
Our consolidated gross revenue for the nine months
ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 was $264,954 and $238,803, respectively. Cost of revenue for the nine months ended September 30, 2024
was $127,686, compared to $174,090 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. In addition to the increase in revenue and decrease cost
of revenue, gross profit increased to $137,268 compared to $64,713 nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The result
is attributed to the Company selling more LED products this year compared to last year, with LED products yielding higher profit margins
than hydroponic products.
The major components of our cost and operating
expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 are outlined in the table below:
For the nine
months ended
September 30, 2024
For the nine
months ended
September 30, 2023
Increase
(Decrease)
$
Selling expense
$ 96,027
$ 89,315
$ 6,712
Compensation – officers and directors
687,303
827,939
(140,636 )
Research and development
948,041
925,345
22,696
Professional fees
985,368
506,878
478,490
General and administrative
1,612,735
1,160,915
451,820
Total operating expenses
$ 4,329,474
$ 3,510,392
$ 819,082
31
Selling expenses for the nine months ended September
30, 2024 was $96,027, compared to $89,315 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023.
Compensation – officers and directors were
$687,303 and $827,939 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
Research and development costs were $948,041 and
$925,345 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The increase was due to an increase in the number of research
and development patent fees.
Professional fees were $985,368 during the nine
months ended September 30, 2024, compared to $506,878 during the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The increase in these professional
fees compared to the prior period was due to an increase in legal fees for employment litigation defense and SEC securities attorney legal
fees.
General and administrative expenses for the nine
months ended September 30, 2024 was $1,612,735 compared to $1,160,915 during the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The increase of
general and administrative expenses was primarily due to an increase in the number of office employees in 2024.
Other Income (expense)
Other income for the nine months ended September
30, 2024 was $3,231,253, compared to $240,360 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The increase was due to gain on sale of the
property.
Income (loss) from discontinued operations,
net of tax
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net
of tax was $(277,823) during the nine months ended September 30,2024, compared to $104,877 during the nine months ended September 30,2023.
The decrease was due to the Company discontinued operations of AT Tech Systems LLC in August 2024.
Net Losses
During the nine months ended September 30, 2024
and 2023, we incurred net losses of $1,238,776 and $3,100,442 respectively, due to the factors discussed above.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Working Capital
September 30,
2024
December 31,
2023
Current Assets
$ 5,971,500
$ 1,028,278
Current Liabilities
(763,939 )
(1,657,646 )
Working Capital
$ 5,207,561
$ (629,368 )
32
Cash Flows
The table below, for the periods indicated, provides
selected cash flow information:
For the nine months ended September 30, 2024
For the nine months ended September 30, 2023
Net cash used in operating activities
$ (477,195 )
$ (2,603,545 )
Net cash provided by investing activities
3,950,852
54,472
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
1,451,000
(385,686 )
Effect of exchange rate
(11,681 )
20
Net change in cash
$ 4,912,976
$ (2,934,739 )
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Our net cash outflows from operating activities
of $477,195 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was primarily the result of our net loss of $898,776 and changes in our operating
assets and liabilities offset by the add-back of non-cash expenses, and operating activities from discontinued operations.
Our net cash outflows from operating activities
of $2,603,545 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 was primarily the result of our net loss of $3,100,442 and changes in our operating
assets and liabilities offset by the add-back of non-cash expenses, and operating activities from discontinued operations.
We expect that cash flows from operating activities
may fluctuate in future periods as a result of a number of factors, including fluctuations in our net revenues and operating results,
utilization of new revenue streams, in line with our shifting revenue streams, collection of accounts receivable, and timing of billings
and payments.
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
For the nine months ended September 30, 2024 we
had cash inflow from investing activities of $3,950,852 from the purchase of property and equipment of $13,250 and proceeds from sale
of property of $3,964,102. For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, we had cash inflow from investing activities of $54,472. That
was primarily the result from the purchase of property and equipment of $20,294, purchase of marketable securities of $144,907, and proceeds
from sales of marketable securities of $219,673.
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
For the nine months ended September 30, 2024,
we had cash inflows of $1,451,000 due to proceeds from third party and related party loan amount of $1,451,000 and repayment on third
party and related party loan amount of $2,376,000, stock issued for placement agent of $1,086,000, and stock issued for private placement
of $1,290,000. For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, we had cash outflows of $385,686 due to proceeds from related party loan
of $1,000,000 and purchase of treasury stock of $1,385,686.
33
Going Concern
The Company has assessed its ability to continue
as a going concern for a period of one year from the date of the issuance of these condensed consolidated financial statements. The Company
has a net loss of $1,238,776 and $3,100,442 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. In addition, the Company
had an accumulated deficit of $23,820,946 and $22,582,170 as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively, and negative cash
flow from operating activities of $3,658,901 and $2,603,545 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Substantial
doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern exists when relevant conditions and events, considered in the aggregate,
indicate that it is probable that the Company will be unable to meet its obligations as they become due within one year from the financial
statement issuance date. The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. GAAP, which contemplate
continuation of the Company as a going concern. The Company currently suffered recurring loss from operations, generated negative cash
flow from operating activities, has an accumulated deficit and has not completed its efforts to establish a stabilized source of revenues
sufficient to cover operating costs over an extended period of time. These conditions raise substantial doubt as to its ability to continue
as a going concern. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements do not include adjustments relating to the recoverability
and classification of reported asset amounts or the amount and classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company
be unable to continue as a going concern. The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, in its report on the Company’s
consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023, has also expressed substantial doubt about the Company’s
ability to continue as a going concern.
At September 30, 2024, the Company had cash and cash equivalents, and
short-term investments, in the amount of $5,368,273. The ability to continue as a going concern is dependent on the Company attaining
and maintaining profitable operations in the future and raising additional capital to meet its obligations and repay its liabilities arising
from normal business operations when they come due. Since inception, the Company has funded its operations primarily through equity and
debt financings, and it expects to continue to rely on these sources of capital in the future. In addition, before September 30, 2024,
the Company has sold its land and buildings which provided additional working capital to the Company. For more information on the sale
of the land and buildings please see Note 5. No assurance can be given that any future financing will be available or, if available, that
it will be on terms that are satisfactory to the Company. Even if the Company is able to obtain additional financing, it may contain undue
restrictions on our operations, in the case of debt financing, or cause substantial dilution for our stockholders, in case of equity financing,
or grant unfavorable terms in future licensing agreements.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
As of September 30, 2024, we did not have any off-balance-sheet arrangements,
as defined in Item 303(a)(4)(ii) of Regulation SK.
Critical Accounting Policies
The discussion and analysis of our financial condition
and results of operations are based upon our financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with the accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States of America. Preparing financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions
that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue, and expenses. These estimates and assumptions are affected by management’s
application of accounting policies. We believe that understanding the basis and nature of the estimates and assumptions involved with
the following aspects of our financial statements is critical to an understanding of our financial statements.
34
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity
with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of
assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amount
of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Our Company has implemented all new accounting
pronouncements that are in effect and that may impact its financial statements and does not believe that there are any other new accounting
pronouncements that have been issued that might have a material impact on its financial position or results of operations.
ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES
ABOUT MARKET RISK
We are a smaller reporting company as defined
by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and are not required to provide the information required under this item.
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.